The flickering fire casts a warm glow across the face of Quốc Hưng, a 32-year-old sous chef at a three-star hotel in Ho Chi Minh City. Amid the suffocating heat and the sharp sizzle of oil on steel, he moves tirelessly with every pan flip. To many, cooking is just a job. But for Hưng, it’s a journey of self-affirmation, a stepping stone toward his dream of becoming an executive chef and one day opening his own restaurant, a place where he can tell his life story through his culinary creations.
“Dreams aren’t easy. But every day, I choose to recharge with Number 1 to keep my passion alive and stay the course. Step by step, I’m getting closer,” Hưng says, his eyes bright behind a haze of rising steam.
Staying Sharp Under the Pressure of the Kitchen
11 a.m., the most intense moment of the day. The once-quiet kitchen flips into “combat mode.” Dozens of orders flood in. One delayed movement and the entire service rhythm can fall apart.
“There are days when I stand for 10 straight hours, constantly chopping, stirring, seasoning. I’m exhausted, but I can’t afford a single lapse. Just one second of distraction and the dish is ruined,” Hưng shares.
Cooking is a profession that demands absolute focus and comes with immense pressure.
When his body and mind hit their limits, a bottle of Number 1 has become his familiar “sidekick,” giving him an instant energy boost. “It wakes me up, my mind sharpens. Thanks to that, I can power through the rest of my shift,” he says.
In a kitchen blazing over 40°C, where heat and urgency seem ready to swallow any hint of slowness, every knife stroke and every grain of salt requires perfect precision. In that pressure cooker, clarity and steady energy become the “weapons” that help young chefs keep their passion aflame.
“Sometimes I’m completely drained, but after recharging with Number 1, it feels like I’ve gained new strength, a reminder that I’m doing all of this not just for our guests, but also for the dream I’m chasing,” Hưng says.
The Kitchen as a Manifestation of the Dream
Hưng is not alone. Many young chefs are writing their own stories of persistence. Pastry Chef Thúy Diễm recalls staying at the restaurant until 1 or 2 a.m., perfecting batches of pastries for the next morning’s banquet.
Beyond the meticulous work demanded of a pastry chef, Diễm also sends part of her income home to help her parents with medical expenses. For her, every slice of cake she crafts isn’t just a product for diners, it’s proof of extraordinary effort, a promise to herself, and a gift to those she loves.
“If I didn’t have Number 1 to recharge, stay alert, and keep my passion going every day, I honestly wouldn’t survive the pressure of this job. But when I think about my family and my dream of opening a small, cozy bakery one day, I feel stronger,” she says with a radiant smile behind her mask.
For Hưng, each shift is a chance to observe how the head chef manages the team, selects ingredients, and runs the restaurant, all valuable lessons for his future. For Diễm, it’s about imagining her little bakery, where each pastry bears the name of a memory.
They may not know when their dreams will come true, but they believe that every challenging day in the kitchen brings them one step closer, refining their craft and themselves.
When Passion Meets Perseverance
If Hưng and Diễm fuel their dreams daily in the heat of the kitchen, rapper Đen, who has spent 15 years tirelessly pursuing music, embodies that same spirit of perseverance. From recording hundreds of early demos to performing on major stages, Đen has never stopped chasing his passion.
This is also the mission Number 1 seeks to build with the younger generation: inspiring people to “live with lasting passion,” walking alongside them in every profession and ambition. The brand encourages young people to confidently pursue their dreams, grow, and create meaningful contributions to their communities and their country.
The arrival of the limited-edition Number 1 x Đen energy drink is more than just a cool product, it’s a symbol of resilience and dedication to one’s dreams.
Đen, Number 1’s brand ambassador, along with Quốc Hưng and Thúy Diễm, represent today’s young generation: constantly striving, always breaking boundaries, and determined to become better versions of themselves.
In the small kitchen, the glow of the fire reflects off beads of sweat like stars in the night. Outside, the city rushes on. Between these two worlds, Hưng, Diễm, and countless other young people continue to “stoke the flames” of their dreams, every day, every hour. And each time they twist open a bottle of Number 1, it’s a reminder: never give up; keep pursuing your passion with resilience.